IND acknowledges error with residence permit of suspect in Sheldon Johnson murder case
KRALENDIJK – The Immigration and Naturalisation Service Caribbean Netherlands (IND CN) has acknowledged that an error was made in the assessment of the residence permit application of Anthony N.W., one of the suspects in the murder case surrounding firefighter Sheldon Johnson on Saba.
This was confirmed by IND spokesperson Tom van Essenberg to the editorial team of bes-reporter.com.
According to Van Essenberg, a human assessment error occurred during the processing of the residence permit application. The IND personally informed Johnson’s family about this several weeks ago during a meeting on Saba.
“We have confirmed that an error was made in the assessment of that residence permit application” says Van Essenberg. “The responsibility for that lies entirely with us as an organisation.” The IND also confirmed that the permit should not have been granted. “He should indeed not have received that permit.”
Present at the meeting were, among others, the head of department and a manager from the IND. According to the IND, a deliberate choice was made to inform the family directly about the error.
Questions from the family
During the court case it became clear that N.W. had a criminal record. It later emerged that he had served an unconditional prison sentence of 18 months on Sint Maarten for illegal firearms possession and threatening someone with a firearm.
This information raised questions among the next of kin about how the suspect was able to obtain a residence permit for Caribbean Netherlands.
Jermel, the sister of Sheldon Johnson, previously told bes-reporter.com that during the meeting with the IND, the family was told that an error had indeed been made in the assessment of the application.
According to her, the family holds the feeling that her brother might still be alive today had that error not been made.
No formal apology
Although family members experienced the meeting as an apology from the IND, the service nuances that perception.
Van Essenberg says that during the meeting it was expressed that the IND regrets the error, but emphasises that no formal apology was made.
“We have told the family: ‘We are very sorry this happened’. We wanted to be open and transparent about this” said the spokesperson. “We felt it was important that the family heard this information directly from us.”
According to the IND, measures have since been taken to prevent similar errors from occurring in the future.
IND sees no direct link
At the same time, the service stresses that the error does not automatically mean the IND bears responsibility for the events that subsequently took place.
Van Essenberg points out that N.W. could also have travelled to and resided on Saba through other means. Furthermore, he states that the responsibility for any criminal acts always lies with the suspect himself.
“A person’s actions are not determined by whether or not they hold a permit” he said. The criminal case against N.W. and co-suspect Rudolfo V.v.H. was heard on its merits last week on Bonaire. The Public Prosecution Service demanded prison sentences of 28 and 21 years respectively for their alleged involvement in the death of Sheldon J.
The court will deliver its verdict on 25 June.
